Real Estate is local not national. Recently many folks have been talking about the decline in prices of homes on a national average and the increase in inventory. But it has been reported that the Sarasota/Bradenton area has been bucking the national and statewide trends. In fact while national sales of single family homes fell 13 % and Florida's sales fell 28% the Sarasota/Bradenton market saw a 16% increase in March 2007 when compared to March 2006. This is truly the time to buy a home or a condo in our area. When the Gulf of Mexico is your back yard people find it hard to resist the opportunity to live the sun-kissed life in paradise.